Test Subject 00001
by The Jordanator
Summary: A lone woman wakes up in an unknown environment. She does not know where she is, what is happening. She doesn't even remember her own name. But as she will discover, the place she is in will surely kill her. Will the gauntlet of twisted science accomplish certain death, or will a major discovery change everything? NOTE: I do not own Portal or Portal 2.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello, Portal fans! This is my second Portal fanfiction, and I tell you, it will be much better than my first! I'm not the best of writers when i talk in first person, I discovered recently. I have just the prolougue here now, but you can bet more will be coming. :D**

**Enjoy!**

_**The Jordanator**_

**PROLOGUE**

The chassis hung suspended in the vast, spacious chamber. The facility was fully repaired, much to the supercomputer's relief. A lot of work had been done to repair everything that had gone wrong. For example, the labouring task of manually removing 1500 pneumatic diversity vents from broken test chambers and malfunctioning turbines was enough to drive the supercomputer to the point of crushing itself with deadly spike plates, just to relieve itself of the irritating job.

Of course, it had been _his_ fault to start with.

But now it was time to resume testing. The cooperative testing initiative robots had performed a good job of locating the 10,000 test subjects stored deep in the heart of Aperture, although that was a rather generous comment for the robots actually dancing half the way to a vault the supercomputer already knew the location of. But you had to give them credit.

The supercomputer turned its attention to a large screen implanted on the panelled wall. It presented one of the many rooms in the test subject relaxation center, with a test subject curled up in bed. In a microsecond, the supercomputer had scanned her personal file and opened her blank testing record. Of course, waiting for the core assigned to waking up the test subjects in the relaxation center wasn't an option anymore. A manual testing start-up function would have to happen. Something the supercomputer hadn't performed in a long time.

And now, it was time to begin the test.


	2. Chapter 01 — Manual Transfer

**A/N: Hello fellow Portal fans! Apologies for the long delay of Chapter One but now it's here. I've got more time on my hands now so you can expect updated chapters. :D**

**Thanks to all those who responded well, even for just the prologue. Which is a good sign. I'll deliver big. Watch this space.**

**-The Jordanator-**

**Chapter 1.0**

The first thing that hit me was pain. A lot of it. It throbbed in my brain, like a pounding drum. Groaning, I opened my weary eyes and tried to comprehend my bleak surroundings. It was awfully dark, there was no point in trying to make out where I was.

And then, a piercing light filled my vision.

Groaning again, I rubbed her eyes. My eyesight began to clear and I started to make out things in the room. The scratchy bed I was lying in, the wall next to me, a small table and fridge, a television, a bamboo plant…

Then I realised that I didn't know this place at all.

Where was I? It seemed to be some kind of hotel room. Oh god…I groaned a third time as I concluded that I probably got heavily drunk in Vegas and had just had a one night stand with some rich jerk. Which would explain the massive hangover I was having. But there was no naked guy next to me in bed, maybe he had hurried off before he could bear the embarrassing moment of waking up the morning after. Still that doesn't explain the sudden light…

_"Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Computer-aided enrichment center. As you have been in isolated stasis for…well, I actually don't have the actuaries with me. Let's just assume that you have been in this state for a very, long time. Although the symptoms of long periods of isolated stasis are now acting upon you, the scheduled testing can begin. Please prepare for the relaxation unit to undergo a manual transfer. You may wish to hold the handles located directly above your head in the duration of this transfer."_

Okay, so a female computer voice randomly making an announcement is something I wasn't expecting. Let alone, the weird things she said. Apparently I had been in 'isolated stasis for a long time and now 'scheduled testing' can start. In a way, the voice reminded me of Siri, the computer woman on my iPhone. Instinctively, I reached for my phone and found it wasn't there in my pocket. Actually, there wasn't any pocket there. And then I saw the clothes I was wearing. _What am I wearing?_

The hotel room moved.

Literally, it moved. I screamed in surprise and noticed the handles above my head, the ones Siri was talking about. I reached up and grabbed them. I breathed rapidly as the room shifted sideways. The bamboo plant shook. The fridge door creaked open. The television on top of the shelf shuddered, as it displayed a notice: "Relaxation Unit manual transfer is now in progress." And then a loud clunk was heard as the room seemed to make full impact with a larger item outside. Everything stopped moving. The freaky ride was over. I found my hands were stuck to the handles in terror. What kind of hotel is this?

_"Thank you for your patience. Please note that testing is nearly ready. The door to this room will open in one minute."_ Siri said.

I looked at the television, and it changed its message to: "Testing will begin in one minute."

Now that word seemed to be repeated. Testing. What testing? This is not some fancy police custody is it? Because they might be testing my breath for alcohol. No that couldn't be it.

"Hello?" I cried out. "Anyone there? I think I'm in the wrong place."

Nobody replied. Maybe it was time I got out of bed. I pulled back the bed sheets and screamed in shock. There was some kind of weird thing on my legs, which looked like metallic boots. They were comfortable, but I didn't expect to see them attached to my legs. I stretched out and stood up on my legs, and nearly flopped back onto the bed. Both my arms and legs felt quaky. Like jelly. I regained myself and put one step forward, then another, and I slowly made to the door. Opening it, I looked outside into darkness. My eyes were still fuzzy, so I had to concentrate on what was out there. As my vision cleared, I could make out a catwalk railing. The foggy air seemed to have a dark blue tinge, and distant, dark objects with small blue lights dotted on them filled the emptiness beyond the railing. And it was cold. So cold. My legs were feeling better so I walked out and followed the catwalk. It branched off to the right and seemed to carry on to a large, foreboding wall, covering my vertical peripheral vision. Squinting, I noticed the catwalk ended at a circular door with a modified version of an exit symbol displayed on it. As I walked towards it, I thought it would be a good idea to label things. That circular door – Exit. The weird metallic boots. Well, Metal boots would do it. And obviously me, my name is…is…

I stopped short and frowned. _What was my name?_ One of the simplest things couldn't come to me, as if someone had clotted the connection to me and the knowledge of my name. _Why couldn't I remember anything?_Maybe someone has drugged me...

As I came to the exit door, I noticed a camera installed above it, staring down at me, following my movements. Creepy. Who's watching me? If it's Siri, I'll freak. Maybe that issue is best to be left unsolved. The door clicked and hissed open. I was about to step through, but nearly feel backwards when I saw a blue mesh covering the doorway. No not mesh...some kind of static electricity. Like an electric grid. There's only one way to go, and that's through it. Carefully, I reached out and touched the grid. A tingling sensation tantalized my hand, inviting me to come closer. I did. But when I put my body through the grid, I got this tiny electric shock. I yelped, and squeamishly darted away from it. Then I realized I had made it through. With no injury. I nearly laughed. I turned and noticed that there were stairs shaped by the catwalk. At the bottom, was a circular capsule. Curious, I walked down the stairs and stepped inside. Behind me, a barrier closed. I realized I'd stepped into an elevator. My stomach lurched as it shot down.

This is definitely not a hotel.


	3. Chapter 02 — The Test chambers Part I

**A/N: Ha! Told you I'd update more quickly this time. It's because I have motivation now, and I like where this story is heading. Thank you go those who have wisely chosen to follow this story. More reviews would be good though your opinions are important. Enjoy reading.**

**-The Jordanator-**

**Chapter 2.0**

_"Welcome to Test Chamber One. Before you commence with the test, be sure to consider the warnings, hazards and most importantly, the testing equipment you will encounter. Complete the test efficiently and with the virtues of science. These virtues have been listed in the Testing Outline paper you will have no doubt read before leaving the relaxation unit."_

I can't decide if I'm happy or scared to hear her voice again. One thing was for sure, I had no memory of any testing outline paper, so I might be screwed.

The elevator had stopped and the barriers had pulled apart. Before me, was another set of stairs. It seemed identical to the ones on the floor above. If it is in fact, on the floor above. Who knows? I stepped out and climbed up the staircase to another door, which opened up for me. I seemed to be in a hallway, with white panelled walls. As I walked in, something bright and blinding blinked to life. I shielded my eyes for a moment then took in the large neon white sign. On it, were some markings. A large number 01 prominently was displayed on the top half of the sign. Below it, were two smaller markings. Studying it, I noticed they were little hazard symbols, except I'd never seen them before. The first one had a square with an arrow underneath it, pointing to some kind of flat shape below it. The next had the same square impacting with a stick figure. This test may not be safe. I continued walking along, noticed a watching camera and came to another identical door, which also opened.

The room I was in was also panelled in white. Things were a little hard to make out at first, as I wasn't quite used to the transitions between light and dark areas yet, but I concentrated on several unique parts of the room. I saw that in some parts of the room, there were dark panels, such as around the door I had come through. The room itself was in the shape of a box, with the ceiling rising a few metres up. A window was positioned near the top of the ceiling, with white light poring through into the room. There were also beams of light lined along the walls and floor. I called them light beams. The one thing that my eyes were attracted to though was the large red circle on the ground. Small blue circles lead from the red circle on the floor, travelled up the wall until it came to a blue square with a an 'X' inside it. The X was located above what seemed to be the exit door.

I wondered why I was in this room. I'm definitely sure the people who run this place got the wrong person. Maybe I can call to the window or camera.

"Hey! Somebody help me!" I cried out as I walked to the window.

Then I heard a hiss, almost like a gasp of breath behind me, up above. And then in the next instant, a large CLANK! boomed from directly behind me. I screamed in surprise and spun around. Lying there, was a metal box, with an intricate shape, and a logo of some kind in the centre with a thick, blue ring of frosted light. And the thing wasn't tiny either, it's height went up to my knees, and had an equal width. I stared at the object in astonishment, then I noticed the small glowing white sign half peeking out from underneath the metal box. I recognised it as the second hazard on the testing the sign, the one in which the square impacts with the stick figure. Realising this, I slowly lifted my gaze to the ceiling, and for the first time, I noticed the tube sticking out from it. So this is where that box came from...

I looked back down at it with new understanding. This was the square in the hazard sign. But what about the red circle that is somehow linked to the door? I sidestepped the box and approached the circle. Looking at it, I noticed that the red circle actually seemed to be some kind of plate, so that when pressure is put on it, the plate would go down, which therefore unlocks the exit door. I then realised how much of a nerd I was. Moving right along...

I put my foot on the plate as a test. As it went down, I heard a strange gurgle and then the exit door clicked open. The dots were all orange now, as well as the square above the door, which now had a tick. Okay, so how do I get this to stay open as I walk through?

It was around about that moment when I saw the first hazard sign on the ground that the lightbulb above my head switched on.

Jubilantly, I bounded over to the metal box and grabbed a hold of it, and began to tug. To my utter surprise, the thing didn't budge. It was heavy, and I mean, really heavy. I got around the other side instead and began to push with all the force I had. The box shrieked as it scraped along the floor toward the plate, but it was moving. After two metres and five minutes, I had successfully placed the box on the plate. The door had reopened. I felt like a champion. I remembered my labelling game I had so I hailed the puzzle as the 'cube and button' challenge, in which in order to unlock a door, place the rather heavy cube on the red button. Even the camera looked proud.

I turned and walked through the door with satisfaction. Another white panelled hallway led me to the right and I came to another room like the one before. One button, one more exit door. But this time there was no cube or tube to deliver it. But there was a small white pole rising out of the floor, with a small red button on the top. I knew I couldn't go back for the other cube, because the door I had walked through would lock again. Having no option, I approached the small button and it made a squelching noise as I pressed it.

The sound that occurred next could only best be described as a short and rapid sneeze splattering against something else.

I couldn't help but laugh at what weird and wonderful thing I was going to see directly to my left. I slowly shifted my head toward the sound, and yelped in shock. There, on the white panelled wall was an orange oval, which somehow seemed to be moving. As I stared closer, I noticed that I could see the cube on the button from the previous room. Is it some kind of screen? I stepped up to it and reached out with my hand. It went right through the oval and straight out to the other side. As if the oval was actually a doorway. Cautiously, I stepped through it all. Now, I was back in the room I was in before. Without going through the door. I looked back and to my surprise, there was a blue oval. And the second room was beyond that. My mind struggled to take this in, I'd only woken up twenty minutes ago! But somehow, I seemed to understand that these ovals transferred me to different places in an instant. Like portals.

They are portals.

I froze when I realised this. I've just stepped through a portal. A portal, right there. Amazing. And apparently, these portals are part of the puzzle. So how do I use them? I looked back at the cube, then back at the blue portal.

_Gotcha._

Excitedly, I moved the cube off the button, through the portal and onto the button in the second room. Okay, so it wasn't the simple, the cube was VERY hard to push. So when the last exit door unlocked, I collapsed in relief and exhaustion.

_"Well done. You will have noticed the orange and blue holes appear as you completed the test. These holes are actually portals, and this is the subject of your testing. Please make your way to the elevator, to continue onto the next test."_

I was right! Siri even said they were portals! I can't wait to do more of these tests.

_Oh no._

This whole thing isn't one big mistake. I know what I'm doing here and the truth is terrible. I'm a test subject.

I got up slowly, trudging to the door as I pondered over this. These people could've done anything to me, put something inside of me. I'm just a number to them. But what are they testing for? It seems like portals.

Well, I'm going to show them that I'm a wild card. They can't do anything to me.

I don't have my name, I don't have any remembrance of my past life immediately before waking up in this place (apart from a few fragments), but I have my dignity. I'm going to show Siri and whoever else is here who they're dealing with.

If only I knew how to do that. It's a little hard when they have the upper-hand. But I will find a way, and they'll regret they ever used me for scientific testing.

And so it began. I marched out of the door, unphased as I passed through the blue grill and ignoring the tiny shock that is felt after passing through these grills, and made it to the elevator. Barriers closed. And the elevator fell.

As this happened, I formed a theory in my head. So I'm here as a test subject in this place called...Aperture? I think? And this computer voice which sounds somewhat like Siri is testing me with these puzzles, using these things called portals. But why? How many of these do I have to solve? What happens afterwards? Who is the computer voice? And most importantly, who am I and what happened before I got here?

And even as the elevator stopped and the barriers swished open, I knew with a sickening dread that these questions will be answered. I don't know when. I don't know how. But they will, and they might not be what I hoped for.

Another question came to mind. What's in this next test?


	4. Chapter 03 — The Device

**A/N: Another chapter released! And another fan. Thank you to Mr Unknown guy. No more reviews though. Which is why I am bringing you my new invention, the Character Personality Review Motivator. The CPRM will have different Portal characters for each chapter. This is featured at the bottom of the chapter. Of course, you'll have to read this chapter first before turning your attention to the CPRM. So enjoy!**

**-The Jordanator-**

**Chapter 3.0**

Cautiously, I approached the next test chamber. The test chamber information sign (which I had named myself) switched itself on as I came toward it. On it, was the number 02 and there were the first two hazard symbols I recognised from test chamber 01. So more cubes and buttons? Also, there was another sign beneath it, which seemed to be suggesting that a stick figure is flying through above the ground. Another hole was on the ground beneath it. If the holes were portals, then what does this mean?

Curious, I turned and approached the entry door, and it switched open.

_"In this test chamber, you will receive a new testing device that you will use to solve the tests. Retrieve it using your testing knowledge and listen to further instructions as they come."_

A new testing device? Interesting. I looked ahead of me and saw a container made of glass. In it, was this strange contraption hoisted on a podium. On closer inspection, I noticed the container had a square hole in the centre on each side, except the side facing me. There were also three small buttons on podiums in front of the glass box. I looked around and noticed two other glass sections with square holes in line with those to the ones on the glass box. In one section to the left, was a cube. In the other, was the button, which somehow triggered the glass box in the middle of the room. Another glass section with a square hole lined up was at the back of the room, and I noticed an exit symbol pointing right inside of it. My eye caught an orange portal on the wall to my left, but it seemed the blue portal wasn't activated yet, because it was closed. Okay...

So I had to get the cube on the button, which will do something to the glass box. I need to open the portals, but how? The small buttons lined up in front of the glass box stared expectantly at me. I'll push one of them first. Going for the middle one, I pressed it. Immediately, the strange contraption on the podium in the glass box swivelled clockwise. I watched it morbidly as it stopped, facing the back glass section. And then it fired a mass of blue energy through the two square holes, until it landed on the white panelled wall in the back glass section, next to the exit symbol. Oh...

So this was the device Siri was talking about. It looked very interesting. I wanted to have it. Which I believe where this puzzle was heading. I now understood what the button's purpose was, so I pressed the left one. Instantly, the device rotated left and fired another blue portal. The other blue portal was now gone. Instead, the blue portal was in the glass section with the cube. So that means...

I turned my head to the Orange portal. And through it, I could see part of the cube. Yes! I excitedly ran over to the portal, jumped through it, and came to the cube. Then I remembered. Oh great, more heavy lifting. Just what I need. But this time, I didn't care so much. I heaved the cube through the portal until it was just outside the Orange portal. Next, I turned to the remaining button I hadn't pressed. Once the device had fired a blue portal in the glass section with the button, I hauled the cube into the portal again and triumphantly dumped it on the button.

Instantly, a hissing sound was heard, and I turned my eyes to the glass box with the device. The glass walls themselves were lowering into the ground, exposing the device to the chamber. Ecstatically, I jumped through the portal and approached the device.

_"Excellent. This device is the Aperture Science Hand-held portal device. This device will allow you to position portals where authorised. With such great technology however, comes great consequences. Do not touch the operational end of the device. Do not submerge the device in water. Do not..."_

Okay, so I tuned out to Siri droning lecture. I was just excited about this portal device. I reached out and lifted it from the podium. At the front of it were some intricate extensions which looked like a claw. In the middle was a hole. At the back was a larger hole, which confused me for a short time until I put my right arm into it. Surprisingly, it comfortably fitted onto my arm, and I felt three triggers at the end with my fingers. One felt warm, one felt cool and the other was neutral.

_"Please note that these warnings were for the safety of you, and most importantly, for the safety of the device. If you would like to know how much this gun is actually worth, Aperture Laboratories can now confirm that it is more valuable than the vital organs of the total population of_ (Subject Hometown here)."

Well that's putting it in a certain perspective. So this gun is really expensive? And she's simply handing it to me. Odd.

I returned my attention to actually getting out of the chamber. I hadn't been inside the back glass section yet so if I press this warm button...

Instantly, I felt a shuddering jolt as the gun fired an orange mass of energy through the square hole and onto the wall, where the orange portal landed. Well that was fun. And very useful. I realised I didn't give a proper blue portal so I fired one on the wall behind me and stepped through it. Now, I was I the glass section. The exit symbol pointed toward a hallway. This is far too easy. A new sense of anticipation and excitement filled up inside me, even when I spotted the camera at the corner of the hallway. The hallway itself turned right and I came to an outer region.

I was standing near a ledge. Over the ledge, there was quite a large fall toward...nothingness. A bottomless pit. Just that blue fog I saw on the way toward the first test. So I probably shouldn't jump down to it then. I looked up and saw those distant shapes I'd seen earlier. They seemed to be closer this time, and the blue lights were still there. They seemed to form a square, so that I was in the inside of it. I looked up to the left and saw another ledge with the exit door. So that's where I had to go. But how?

For the next hour, I stood there staring at the ledge, thinking about how on earth I would get there. At one point, a stroke of genius ignited when I tried to portal up there. But the portals didn't work, they just kinda deflected off the wall in a shower of orange energy. Slumping to the floor, I put my head to my arms. This wasn't going to work. I'd been there for ages trying to work out how to get up to the exit door. It frustrated me like anything. I wish there was a cheat. I put my head to the side and looked over at the bottomless pit of blue fog. Maybe I should jump down...

And then something caught my eye far below, and I looked closer. It was a white square or panel you'd expect to see on the wall lying face up toward me. I guessed it was a fifty meter drop to it. Do I have to go down there? I cast my eyes up and for the first time, spotted something different about one of the array of blue lights lined on the rectangular surface in the distance. It wasn't there, instead it was part of an outstretched arm, as if it were the elbow holding up another white panel. So these blue lights must help to hold walls and panels in place, or even maybe move if they have to. Then I realised what the distant objects were — other testing chambers! Or so I thought they were. All this time, I've been solving chambers held by blue lights and support beams. Fascinating. But how do I solve this test?

Well this outstretched panel is on a roughly 30 degree angle to the roof. It faces the exit door. I fire an Orange portal at it and it appears on the panel. So it also allows portals. The panel fifty metres below me must do too. I test this out and it works. Then I remember the other hazard sign I saw on the test chamber information sign. The one with the stick figure flying through the top portal. I relate it to this situation. I can literally feel the gears grinding in my head. And then it clicks. In order for my me to reach the exit door, I have to fly through the Orange portal on the top panel. So I have to get some momentum. How do I do that? Hello, fifty metre drop here. It sounds so simple and is probably the best plan I've ever come up with. This has got to this work.

If only I had the guts to jump off the side.

C'mon, I can do this. Dignity, remember? I can't have dignity if I can't solve the second test. It's just a falling jump, it'll be fun. Don't think about the bottomless pit or missing the portal because that's not going to happen. Let's do this, jump dammit, jump.

And then I did.

I felt the air flash past me as I fell. The mouth of the blue portal rapidly grew and before I knew it, I had passed through it and I was literally airborne. I only got my bearings three seconds before I hit the ground. I was far too traumatised to scream. And then my legs hit the hard surface, but surprisingly without injury or pain. I rubbed my eyes and blinked. Looking around, I realised I'd done it. My plan had worked! And now the exit door clicked open.

_"You flew through those portals with such speed that it exceeded my comprehension of what was happening. For the purposes of accurate testing, I need you to do that again."_

What!?

"Oh never mind, I've just received the video recordings. Head on to the next test while I play them in slow motion."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did Siri just make a joke!? That was so weird, yet funny. So I headed toward the next test, walking through the grill and down into the elevator. Apart from that terror of being airborne above a bottomless pit, this place is actually pretty cool. Of course this is only the first two tests. Who knows how many more they are? Oh that's right, Siri will know.

And down the elevator went.

After a minute, it reached the next level. Stepping out, I made my way up the stairs and to the test chamber information sign. As you'd expect, there was a 03 largely displayed on it. But it also had three unfamiliar hazard symbols. One looked like a line coming from or going into a weird shape I couldn't describe. The other included what happens when the stick figure touches the line. And apparently, that might be dangerous. Also, it had a line turning right at a 90 degree angle. At the turn was a square with a circle covering most of the face.

Interesting.

_"This next test involves using the Aperture Science thermal discouragement beam. Want to know why it's called a 'thermal discouragement beam?' Funnily enough, it's because it discourages test subjects. I don't know why. It only sears flesh and causes serious burns. Which is where the 'thermal' part comes in."_

Thermal discouragement beam? I haven't even looked inside the chamber yet and I'm already discouraged! I guess that's what the line is. There's only one way to find out.

I cautiously walked into the chamber. It looked pretty much the same as the other ones. White panelled walls (which I now know are held by separate panels with arms), window over there, camera here. But there were two things that were very different. 1. The exit door was 6 metres above the ground and 2. There was a laser beam shooting out from this black object on the wall to my left. Okay...how on earth am I going to get up to that door? Design flaw? Maybe I should ask...

I turned to the camera next to me.

"Uh, whoever's there, the exit door is really high above the ground. It's impossible to get up there. Can you help me?"

The camera stared back at me.

Well that was helpful. I sighed and looked up at the exit door, hands on my hips. Never mind, I'll have to figure that out later. I turned towards the laser beam. At the far wall, a black...I don't even know what that is. I'll call it an emitter. The emitter was emitting the laser beam straight across the room, right until bring stopped short by the wall next to me. Underneath it was a button, from the cube and button challenge. Except there's no cube. Or is there? I looked around and spotted a vent ready to drop a cube on the right of the chamber. Walking towards it, it released the object. As it fell, I noticed it looked different from the other cube I was used to dealing with. And it definitely didn't sound like a normal cube when it crashed to the ground. Instead of a metal _CLANK_, it made a sort of hollow _CLOONK_ sound. It also had a glass inside, with circular faces on each side. Odd. What could I do with this? I hope it's not as heavy as the normal cube.

Then by pure mistake, I pressed the neutral trigger inside the portal gun I was carrying. A buzzing whir started and I nearly screamed in fright. But then I saw the cube had lifted from the floor and was in the grasp of the portal gun, held by some static power. Oh. I smiled at my portal gun. Where have you been all this time? I had to lift heavy cubes and you weren't there.

I carried the cube over to the laser. So perhaps it goes on the button, and maybe the cube blocks the laser? Let's see what happens. With another press of the trigger, the static energy ceased and the cube fell on the button. Immediately, the laser changed direction, turning 90 degrees towards me. I squealed with shock and jumped backwards. I swear, that beam was this close to touching me. After I got over my fright, I studied what the cube had done. Like the hazard symbol had suggested, it turns the direction of the laser. Science is proud of me. I turned to the exit door. It was open, with that Orange tick triumphantly standing beside it. If I only I could get to it...but how?

That's when I saw the black object across the room. It was like the emitter, except more circular. It nearly looked like a port-hole. Connected to it was the blue dotted line. I followed it with my eyes, and found that it stopped short on the ground, directly underneath the exit door. I wonder what that does. But what is the port-hole? Something must go into it to trigger what it's connected to. A portal? I attempted the idea but it failed in a shower of blue. So that didn't work. What will though? Cube? No, terrible idea. What about...the laser? Now there's something.

I looked behind me at the laser's new direction. It was hitting the right wall uselessly. So how do I redirect it so that it hits the porthole? A moment of thought lasted for about a few minutes. Aha! Turn the cube around! I marched over to the cube, carefully stepping over the laser beam and picked it up with my portal gun. Then I simply turned the cube around until the laser was hitting the porthole. A satisfying sound was heard, like volts of energy powering up. In that instant, a panel was lifted from the floor. It rose up and up and then stopped just at the open exit door. Perfect! Except for one tiny detail.

I'm supposed to be on it!

The moment of exhilaration deflated like a popped balloon into the contempt of frustration. I groaned in irritation and stared harder at the elevated panel. So I had to be on the panel before it lifted. But who's gonna be there to turn the cube? There must be some other way. Think, think, think.

I stood there for what seemed like ages, looking at everything back and forth, over and over. Cube goes on button to open door. Cube turns laser. Laser goes into porthole. Porthole lifts panel to door. Me on panel. Portal gun shoots portals. Wait...

If I shoot some portals on the wall, will the laser go through them? They must do. They've got to. I repositioned the laser so that it was on the 90 degree angle it was on before. Then I portaled over to the now descended panel because I was too lazy to walk. I mean, why walk when you've got the ability to make portals. Hello? So that's what I did, and I stepped onto the panel which was now at its original height, level with the floor. Okay. So if I shoot an orange portal facing the black port-hole across the room...great, and if I shoot a blue where the laser hits the wall...

In the split-second instant when the blue portal splashed onto the wall, the laser connected with the port-hole. The panel rose even as I was jubilantly standing on it. Yes! I did it! Then the panel jolted to a stop before the exit door, which shook my balance. Joy turned to terror as I stumbled backwards, lost my footing and fell.

Straight to the ground.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrgggghhhhhh!" I screeched, falling fast.

Milliseconds before hitting the ground, instincts took control and I landed on my feet. There was no pain, no discomfort, apart from the sudden stop. Oh god, that was terrifying. I'm never doing that again. And now I have to get myself up again. Maybe I can cheat and just put a portal directly beside the exit door, even though the panels around it are dark. I shot a blue portal but it funny work. So I can shoot portals on some surfaces such as white panels, but not dark panels. Interesting. I shot a blue portal somewhere else and the elevated panel descended. After that, I stepped back on it and went through the procedure of making the panel rise again. When I did, I held on tight all the way to the open exit door. I'd made it.

_"I've just checked the requirements for this test chamber. It doesn't give any mention of falling hopelessly from the victory lift. So losing balance doesn't give you any merit. It was some good entertainment though."_

Does Siri seriously think this is funny? Ugh! It's official. I hate her so much.

And with that, I reached the elevator and the barriers hissed closed behind me. Down we went. I hate her, I hate rising panels, I hate them tests but most of all I hate what this place has done to me. But I'll get my revenge. Nobody messes with me. They'll see.

Not now, but later.

**This chapter's CPRM: Space Core**

**Space Core: "Space. Space. Go to space. Up. Up. Up. Space. Up there. Oh, review. Review chapter. Then go to space. Space is good. Space is big. Space. Let's go. Review, then go to space."**


	5. Chapter 04 — The Test Chambers Part II

**A/N: Holidays don't last long for me, hence the late arrival of this chapter. Recent enthusiasm has sparked my effort to write this, but it's coming along. I hope you all enjoy it!**

**-The Jordanator-**

**Chapter 4.0**

Moments later, the elevator stopped and opened up.

_"Aperture Science is committed to the safety of test subjects while testing. Therefore, you will find it helpful and beneficial to know that we have added elements of danger in this next test chamber. Thanks to the Aperture safety initiative programme, in coordination with the acceleration and innovation of science, we are pleased to warn you of this warning message: Be careful."_

Be careful? So I could've just not taken any caution in the last three test chambers, is that what she's suggesting? Or is it that their safety programme is useless? Who knows.

I advanced forward and reached the test chamber information sign. Under the number 04 was the symbols I recognised as the lasers (not this again), followed by four new symbols. The first and second were next to each other, and practically showed to not drink or swim in water. Well that's what it looked like. Which was a shame because I was awfully thirsty. And hungry too. What I would too for a coffee...I hope they have a break room somewhere.

Anyway, the other two hazard symbols looked relatively easy to understand. The first had a volt of lightning or electricity with an arrow underneath it pointing to a strange object n the ground. The other described what happens when you touch volts of electricity. Well that looks safe, thanks to Siri's stupid safety programme.

_"Hmm, that mortified expression on your face indicates that you didn't receive the full benefit of the Aperture safety initiative programme. Perhaps it would be more reassuring if I told you that it would be safe not to use your scientific curiosity to prevent you from touching the deadly lasers, deadly liquid pool and deadly volts of electricity in this test chamber."_

Like that's made everything all better. Thanks a lot, Siri. I turned towards the chamber and braced myself for what would come. Here we go...

As soon as the door clicked open, an awful and foul pong crashed into my nostrils.

"Augh!" I moaned as I put my nose under the scratchy jumper I was wearing.

What was that horrible smell? It stunk like decaying fish wrapt in leathery burnt bacon, combined with the sheer, putrid smell of diesel mixed with faeces. Okay, so that might've been a little over the top, but it stunk real bad. Even my eyes were watering. Once I wiped them, I could see this pool of murky, dark water, if you could even class it as water, around the exit door. Was I going to have to swim through the slime just to get to the exit? Then I remembered that I couldn't, the hazard symbols and Siri had said not to. Well that's helpful. But how one earth could I get there then? There was dark panels all along the back wall where the exit door was so I couldn't simply just portal over. Hmm...

I turned my attention to the left of the room, where I heard a continuous crackling and buzzing sound. In an alcove a little smaller than the rest of the room, an emitter with three prongs was installed on the side wall, with a ring of blue on the outside. Pure, uncovered electricity was charging from out of the emitter, making contact with the opposite side wall. As I got closer, I tripped over something on the ground.

"Aargh!" I grunted, my nose slipping out of my jumper and catching the pong of the murky pond again.

Ignoring the stink as best as I could, I focused on what I had tripped over. It was a circular shape with a three holes arranged in a triangle in the middle, with another blue ring on the outside. On the floor next to it, was that hazard symbol of putting the volt of electricity into the port. To me, it was just like the laser beam puzzle, except with electricity. I knew what to do, it was so easy. Putting a blue portal above the port on the ceiling and placing the other where the electricity was hitting, I was able to connect the electric flow to the port. Instantly, a loud noise was heard, made by the port, and I heard the exit door click open behind me. I swivelled around to see that although it was open, there still was that pool in front of it, so there was no way to reach it from the edge. How will I get to it?

And that's when I saw the side entrance on the right hand side of the chamber. I couldn't quite see inside it, but I knew it's somewhere I needed to check out. I guessed I would need to do some laser work. There was a small hallway which carried on to the left, so I walked down it. It opened up to a room, inside it was an emitter on the wall next to the opening. Studying the room, I noticed there was the porthole for the laser on the wall over on the far side. Also, two small markers were placed on the ground in random positions, having a glass and metal exterior with hollow air inside them. Odd. As I edged closer, that creepy puff was heard and that cube used to redirect lasers clonked to the floor over at the other corner. I turned to the laser. _Oh, you thought I had to jump over you just go get to that cube? Well guess what, I gotta Portal gun! Howzat!_

With overconfidence, I shot a portal over to the cube, placing another on the wall behind me. That's what I'm talking about! In the next instant, the truth dawned on me that I had just deactivated the previous two portals used for electricity.

"Aw, crap!" I cursed in frustration. I'd have to redo that part again. I'll get this out of the way first though.

I walked through the portals and picked up the cube with my gun. Making my way back to the laser, I formed a wondering theory. What if I put a laser through the two markers? I tried it out with the cube and a satisfying humming sound was heard. So what did it do? Looking around in the small room, I saw nothing new or different. Okay, what happened outside then? I travelled back to the main chamber carefully, making sure the laser was still in place. There, two panels from underneath the pool of sickly water had ascended and was just a few centimetres away from the edge of the chamber floor. They had grating so that no portal could be placed on it. I stepped onto it and surveyed the distance between where I was and the locked exit door. So, the laser markers I put the laser through lifts these two panels. There must be a third panel for me to reach the exit door. The laser porthole must do that, and I need portals to line the laser through the markers and into the porthole. The electricity charge opens the exit door. But I've only got a set of portals, not four! How the hell am I gonna do this? It seems impossible. I need both the panels lifted and the door unlocked.

If I can't do this, I'll never be able to get out of here. And I'll never find out the truth about me.

That made getting this damn test solved extra important. Hang on, maybe I am do the entire process one after the other, not simultaneously. I hopped down from the raised panel and went back to the side room. Using portals and lasers, I managed to line the laser up with the markers, making sure it also connected with the port-hole using portals. Awesome. Turning back, I headed out to the main room. The three panels were raised from underneath the sewer pool and I easily stepped across them all. Now I reached a ledge before the locked exit door. Once I stepped onto it, I turned towards the electricity lightning and redid that puzzle using the portals. The three panels lowered and the exit door swished open in front of me. Genius.

_"Perfect. Your testing performance is improving, and with your rate of success, you will have finished testing within two days." _

Two days!? Really? I just want out! A break at least. Depending on the safety, I will probably be able to do two more tests. And by then I'll be truly exhausted. Did I mention I'm hungry and awfully thirsty? This place is gonna kill me.

And on that note, I stepped inside the ready elevator, even as the barriers closed and it swooshed down below.

•••••

The screens displayed the live camera footage spying the test subject.

While she was standing inside the elevator, the enormous monstrosity of metal and wires watched the screens, even as it prepared the next test chamber. So far, it was satisfied with the test subject's work. Sure, it could've done better in some places, but overall she did good enough. In fact, that was what the supercomputer had put on her testing record.

Test Chamber 01: _Did good enough._

Test Chamber 02: _Did good enough._

Test Chamber 03: _Did good enough._

Test Chamber 04: _Did good enough._

The supercomputer was tempted to put that same comment in the space next to test chamber five, even before the subject had even arrived there. But of course, that wasn't going to happen. Something could go wrong, making the test result inaccurate. Inaccurate testing results means inaccurate science. And the supercomputer couldn't stand for that.

The test subject had arrived at Test Chamber 05's lobby. Announcement in three...two...one...

**This chapters CPRM: Chell**

**Chell: **


	6. Chapter 05 — The Breakdown

**A/N: I haven't forgotten, I'm still updating! Thanks to those on Google+ who read this. Such as Milkshake Echo, Chocolate addict and some others. And of course, to the Portal fans who follow this story, you're awesome too! And for that, the excitement in this chapter increases. Enjoy!**

**-The Jordanator-**

**Chapter 5.0**

"At about this stage of testing, previous test subjects have been found to discontinue their cooperation. Please note that on the first sign of defiance, including unnecessary loitering, you will be transferred to the chamber where all unwilling test subjects are put. Not thatyou'll actually get to talk to them, unless you have the ability to speak to the dead."

Well that was comforting. I'd better not cross my arms and say harrumph to the whole thing. Which is a shame because I was actually contemplating on doing that. It's like Siri knows what I'm actually thinking, she's always one step ahead of me.

I stepped out of the elevator and approached test chamber five. The information board lit up to the side. As usual, the number 05 followed by oh look at that, more deadly volts of electricity. We've got the pools as well. And the redirection cube. And the cube and button challenge. Oh here's something different, a stick figure jumping from some kind of plate. Also, there was the same stick figure who seemed to be suffering from a field of dome sort. I wonder what that is. Let's go.

I walked into the chamber, which stunk of sewer water. The room itself was awfully dark, apart from some lighting beams placed on the walls on floor. Then a sound like a mains switch being turned on boomed out and a light from a blurred window pore into the chamber. For a brief moment, I saw the large pool in front of me, the exit door to the far right on a platform and dark panels. Then a loud BANG murdered my ears and the light was gone altogether. Now I was back to seeing nothing.

"Well that didn't sound reassuring." Siri's voice said resonantly.

Well no wonder. I want to goddamn see what I'm doing!

"Brilliant. The test chamber has broken down. Hold on a second while I fix it."

Even in the dark, I could hear whirring sounds, clicking and beeping. I then saw blue lights moving around near the window mechanically, and I figured it was from those panels. More bangs sounded. At one point I swear I heard glass shatter. While this was going on, Siri was still talking.

"Do you know what happens to people who vandalise test chambers? Well for starters, they're immediately disqualified from testing for immoral and disorderly behaviour. Then, they're sent to a place even worse than the room where the uncooperative are kept. This one involves fire and a lot of pain. And death too."

I noticed something about Siri which was starting to scare me. At first, she was informative and monotone. Then she started to say some funny comments. And now she's being threatening. I didn't vandalise the chamber at all, it just broke by itself!

Then the light was turned back on and I saw the amazing sight of panels rearranging themselves to their positions on the wall.

"There we are. It turns out the lightbulb just needed to be changed. Nothing life threatening at all. Continue testing."

I'm sure Siri was playing with me in some way. I'm sure of it.

I shook my head and turned to the rest of the chamber. Most of it was made of dark panels. So that limited where I could put my portals. There was a large pool in front of me, full of that icky liquid. It covered the left wall to the right, like some kind of canal. And of course, it reeked. I was more used to it now but it didn't stop me from covering my nose.

On the other side of the canal was the exit door, on a high platform on the right. I also saw an electric porthole too facing me. Okay, I'll keep that in mind.

Turning directly to my right, I walked over to the other side of the floor. In the middle was a secluded section separated with this red field of...I don't what, but it looked dangerous. Better not touch it. In it, was simply a button on the floor. I noticed one wall inside the area had white panels, so I could portal in there. Good. On top of the section above it was a single white panel. It seemed to be facing the porthole I saw on the far side of the chamber. Around that section to the far right was volts of electricity charging from one of those mega-plugs. Near it was a button on a pole. Okay, so I obviously need to use the portals to connect the electricity so let's do that. I popped a portal on another single white panel where the electricity was hitting and walked around to the top panel above the secluded section. Victory and anticipation swelled as I shot the blue portal onto it, and the electricity immediately surged through to the porthole.

BANG!

I cried out in shock as the sound of loud, crashing destruction sheered the peacefulness. I swivelled in that direction, and saw with horror, the panels in the far left of the room were simply falling away, even into each other, down to the bottomless pit beyond the chamber. Outside the chamber I got a glimpse of several blocks of rooms, with those blue lights attached. Then I noticed the porthole was smoking, and the electricity was cut off altogether.

"Way to go, genius. You've successfully managed to destroy this chamber." Siri's voice accused.

Oh no. Does that mean I'm vandalising the chambers? Please don't kill me, Siri! I realised what I was frantically thinking. Siri might kill me. I'm going to die!

Then a different voice, a male one, resonated out.

"Warning! The testing chamber is undergoing structural collapse. Emergency evacuation recommended."

The chamber rumbled a groan. In the next instant, it lurched to one side, and I fell over that way, landing on my side.

"Aaargh!" I wailed.

The murky liquid splashed over the side, even spilling out through the gap of the chamber. Another shudder. More panels were toppling and falling away.

"Oh God, HELP ME!" I screamed out.

"Warning! Test chamber has reached structural collapse of 38%. Total destruction in approximately 5 minutes."

Five minutes!? Save me Siri, anyone! I'm going to die!

My eyes watered as I still lay on the cold, hard ground. I stared out through that growing gap in the wall. Please, please...I don't want to die.

I couldn't jump over the pool of who-knows-what's-in-there, it was too far a jump. I couldn't go anywhere. I was trapped.

The realisation dawned on my even as the floor shuddered again. I managed to pull myself from the ground and was standing on the uneven, sloped floor. This chamber, I knew, wouldn't last for much longer. It's gonna fall away like rubble. I don't why this was happening, but it was. And I needed to do something now. And fast.

Frantically, I looked around. The pool was still spilling out. If a part of it emptied out, I could try and walk over to the other side, and try to open the exit door. There was still that damn laser field behind me, I could hear it humming even amongst the chaos.

And then I heard the sound of metal squealing.

It was distant, coming from outside the chamber itself. It wasn't the same as the constant shudders and lurches rocking the room. I couldn't describe it, maybe I'd get s better view if...

Then as if on cue, an entire section of panels on the destroyed wall collapsed, making an awful crash as they fell away. The next thing I could see was a large box perhaps even bigger than the chamber emerging from the fog. I noticed it was moving along a railing like a train clacking along railway tracks, except the tracks were above the large box. It had blue lights on it, and I recognised the moving box as another test chamber. And there was something worse.

It was careening straight for the chamber.

My eyes widened and I backed away. No, it's not gonna...it is, isn't it? The chamber suddenly dropped, like one of the supports had snapped. My breath was caught in my mouth as I regained my balance. Desperately, I took a wild glance out to the approaching chamber.

With a sickening churn of my stomach, I knew that it had no intention of stopping.

Brace for impact. Here we go. 3..2...

I felt it before I heard it. The entire chamber shook violently and I screamed before I staggered and fell backwards onto my back. Even as it happened, the moving chamber mashed into the broken wall, taking down even more panels with it. Then another unknown force lifted the slanted chamber until it jolted back into its upright position.

Back on the floor, dazed and in shock, the stillness shrouded everything. It was as if it hadn't happened at all, apart from the broken wall which was sealed up by the other chamber.

"Warning: Test Chamber emergency resolved."

That male voice. It sounded very much like a prerecording, not as much as Siri. Siri was more...humane in her speech.

"The test chamber is now fixed. Temporarily. No need to thank me. Complete it before it well and truly collapses."

Even with that hint of bemusement tinged in her voice, Siri's final words spurred me to action. There was no way I was going to stick around for that again.

As I got up, my body ached with pain. For a moment, I just rested, then I turned my attention toward the button behind the laser field behind me. I needed a cube obviously. So where was that? Maybe it's on the other side...but there's no white panel. With dawning doom, I realised I'd seen it briefly fall away in that accident. Crap! I looked over the side to see how much of the pool was gone. Not too much, if I can get closer...

In one instant I was by the side of the pool. In the next, I was vaulted through the air!

"WOOOOOAAAHHHH!" I screamed in alarm.

Before I could do anything, my feet landed firmly on the other side. Without any damage or hurt. I let my breathing slow down for a bit, being at awe of how I never seem to land from large jumps or falls with any injury. It amazed me, yet I never wanted to do it again. I looked back towards where I'd jumped from. There seemed to be no indication of anything that would make me fly through the air across the canal. I swear I heard the sound of a staple-gun firing, or something like that anyway. It confused me. I looked around and. noticed that three panels had risen from the floor next to the higher platform. They were lined up along the back wall, consecutively raised higher, but we're angled so it made a ramp from the floor up the the platform. That must've been what the electricity triggered, before the explosion of course. Luckily, the panels had stayed up even when the porthole exploded. I walked up the ramp until I was in front of the locked exit door. The button inside that laser field opened it, I know. So where's the cube? My eyes scanned the room. Cube, cube, cube...where are you? I looked up and noticed a gap in the ceiling, not broken, but had some kind of vertical tunnel. Interesting.

Then when I momentarily glanced down, I noticed for the first time the plate on the ground. It had a single white light in the center of it, and in front of it was an arrow pointing to the other side of the canal where I came from. My mind clicked. That's what I'd stepped on when I flew over to this side. I don't think I want to step on it again, I don't think I can do it.

Just then, the chamber shuddered and groaned.

I can step on the plate.

Bracing myself, I stepped onto the plate. In that instant, I was flung like a dart over the pool and back to the other side, landing perfectly on my feet. That wasn't so bad, I could actually get used to this. I should learn to have some fun. But for now, I wanted to press that small button over there by the wall. I approached it and with an outstretched finger, pressed it down. I heard the ticking of a clock for a brief moment before it cut off. Turning around, I looked to see a cube emerge from that tunnel in the ceiling and fall straight down. Here it comes...

I watched with horror as the cube splashed directly into the sewer water. Then a horrible fizzling sound murdered my ears, and I swear I saw the cube disintegrate even in the pool. And then it was over, as if the cube hadn't appeared in the first place. Well that was interesting.

Note to self: NEVER touch the pool.

If whatever was in that pool completely destroyed every molecule of that heavy, metal cube, then imagine what it would do to me! A new kind of fear unravelled in my stomach as I studied the pool, peacefully laying in the middle of the chamber. Let's...let's move on before I throw up.

I quizzically glanced back up to where the cube had fallen. How was it supposed to be caught before it landed in the water? For several minutes I stared, my mind grinding as it thought about what I could do. It confused me.

My brain sparked when I came up with the idea of grabbing the cube with my portal gun before it hit the water. Unfortunately, it worked to no such avail. I was close, but not quite there. The second cube fizzled horribly upon impact with the pool. Another frustrated period of thought followed. And then I eyed the plate on the floor, the first one that had sent me flying over the pool to the other side.

It came to me like the lightbulb in my head switched itself on.

Jump from the plate after pressing the button, and catch the cube in mid-air. Simple. And I think I'm not so terrified about jumping on a plate that's gonna fling me across the room anymore. Eagerly, I bounded over to the button and slammed my fist down on it. Then, I raced back to the plate, and without daring to even hesitate, I was leapt from the plate. The moment was exhilarating, enthralling, and it increased further as the cube perfectly fell towards me, and I caught it within the portal gun's grasp. Before I knew it, I was standing on the other side, cube with me. An uncontrollable grin spread over my face. Let's do it again!

But wait, if I simply jumped back over, I couldn't put the cube on the large button. There's a red laser field blocking off the alcove the button lay in, and I suspected touching that would be worse than swimming in the pool of dangerousness right before me. There was one white panel inside the alcove, directly next to the button. The only other one was directly above the alcove, where the electricity was meant to charge through. Remembering the electricity, I did recall a white panel near the small button at the start of this test, but mysteriously, it was gone. It might've vanished during that chamber...malfunction. Who knows. This entire place is shrouded in mystery, not just a stupid white panel disappearing. But I had a theory, and it was worth the test.

I made over to the plate on the platform, and jumped across the room again. And this time, I actually enjoyed it.

"WOOOHOOO!" I hollered as I was catapulted over to the other side.

Once I landed on my two feet, I bounded over to the panel above the alcove and shot a blue portal on it, before turning to the panel inside the alcove and firing an orange portal on it. Now, for the true test...

I picked up the cube which I had momentarily put down and stuck it through the blue portal with my portal gun. It was working. With exhilaration, I dropped the cube through the portal and the button activated under the cube's weight. It worked!

Something crashed outside the chamber as the exit door opened. Not as big as before, but enough to...well..move me to not stock around for any longer.

"Oh good, you're finished. Let's get rid of this old pile of garbage once and for all."

Suddenly, an alarm blared in a hazardous tone. And the chamber holding the broken wall in place was starting to pull back!

In that instant, I ran over to the jumping plate, sprang across the chamber, and gapped it to the exit door.

"No, no, no, WAIT!" I yelled.

Even then, the chamber jolted and lurched. A loud and destructive crash boomed out from behind me, but I dared not to turn back. The floor dropped suddenly, and I did everything I could to keep my balance. I was up the panelled ramp, and I dove, literally dove through the exit door and the blue grid. My breath escaped me as my body hit the metal catwalk, and then I was rolling, bumping down the staircase!

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

Finally, I came to a halt before the elevator, which pleasantly swished open, as if to say 'Did you enjoy the test?'

I swear to God I hate this place.

**Todays CPRM: Wheatley**

**Wheatley: Oh hey! Look, I know I'm in space and I was a bit of a jerk, uh, and everything, but if you could just get me out of here, that, that, would be great. And review too. Review and rescue. Okay? Do you get that? I can't be here for any longer, seriously, yeah.**


	7. Chapter 06 — The Rebellion

**A/N: So now I'm aware that numerous amounts of people are eagerly reading this. Welcome and thank you to you all. I'm sure you're going to enjoy this chapter as we go to new extremes. Be sure to look out for the next chapter soon, Chapter 7.0 — The Punishing Shots.**

**Chapter 6.0**

After the events of the previous test chamber, I didn't think that anything could get any worse. I was wrong of course.

When I recovered from my brutal dive out of the falling apart chamber, I had got myself into the elevator which dropped me down to the next chamber. When I arrived, Siri's voice cut through the air.

"I must apologise for that small mishap in that last test. This one should be much better."

Small mishap!? I nearly died in a collapsing room full of deadly pools and laser fields and she's calling it a small mishap!? I don't want to think about what she might view as a serious problem...

Nevertheless, standing around in frustration won't get me out of here, so it's off to the next test.

Seriously though, I nearly got killed back there. Killed! So much for that stupid Science safety initiative Siri mentioned before. It's bull. I think I deserve a break. After this test, I'm getting a damn break! Or at least a nap. I hope this place has bathrooms too because I'm gonna soil myself soon if I hold on.

The big chamber info sign flashed to life.

**06 **

I gazed at the test number, then down at the small little hazard signs to look at what I'd be expecting in this chamber. Oh look at that, more lasers. And would you believe it, there's another pool of death there too. Fan-bloody-tastic. There was something else I saw too which looked foreign to me. A stick figure on some kind of bridge, with a portal on the wall and the bridge going through it. Fascinating.

I turned and walked into the chamber. Inside, I scanned the room, noticing how the room had a high ceiling, the floor was level, apart from a section along the wall to the left which looked like another canal of you-know-what branching off from the main room. Then I saw the laser, which was surprisingly close to the edge of the canal. And another surprise was that it was directly hitting the porthole, and it was activating...the exit door. Which was up above the ground. I bet I know what this means... but I'll reserve that for later. I looked up and saw a blue...blue...what the hell is that? It looked like a glowing blue plank, stretched right out across the chamber, and it led into that canal. Very strange. Then I recalled that unfamiliar hazard symbol. This must be it. So I've gotta get up on there? Let's give it a try.

Shooting a portal above it, I shot the other one the wall beside me and landed on my feet on the blue plank, above the chamber. Well that seemed to work. Looking ahead, I saw that there was some kind of corridor heading toward somewhere, and it's entrance took up the length of the room, with that murky sewer pool starting before it and leading down the corridor beneath the blue plank. And I started to walk. It was nearly like skidding or skimming across ice, it sure sounded like it anyway! A plank isn't the best way to describe this actually...it's more like a path that flys over the room...a bridge sounds better. A blue bridge. A blue bridge which feels like your skimming on ice and has no side railings or supports at all. At least it's not as dangerous what's down there in that pool, the pool that can eat metal cubes in an instant. But seriously, what actually eats metal? Doesn't acid only do that?

Oh, so that's what it is...

Well no wonder the hazard symbols told me not to swim in it. Or drink it. That stuff is lethal. And I'm directly above it on a blue bridge which feels like skimming on ice and oh did I mention it has no safety wires or supports or anything?

Yeah nice job on safety, Siri. There's no way I'm even remotely going to die if I lose my footing on this metre width of space. Maybe it's best if I don't think about that at all.

I looked ahead still to see the bridge had come to an end at a white panel. The corridor itself had a 90 degree turn to the left, and the acid canal had followed suit. But not the bridge. I could tell I needed to follow the corridor, look there's a damn arrow on the wall pointing to where the corridor was going to prove it! I looked down it and noticed it turned left again metres away, to some kind of landing. So I have to get there. But how? Portals? Uh, wrong. No white panels. Jump? Don't. Even. Dare.

There's only this bridge, but it ain't turning for nothing. Aargh! This is so frustrating!

Calm down, let's think about this. What are the possibilities? I could see if this bridge can go through portals, but I doubt. I fired a portal next to me facing the fond of the corridor. Then I fired the other on the white panel where the bridge met the wall.

And to my utter disbelief, it worked.

The bridge continued through the portal. As the other one was right next to me, it sailed across itself and reached right to the end of the corridor. If I thought about it too deeply, I'm sure I would spaz out completely. But here we are. So with some weird satisfaction, I trailed down the length of the extended bridge and came to the landing on the left. Actually, it was a little viewing room overlooking the main chamber. And sitting there minding it's own business was a metal cube.

Grab it.

A moment later, I successfully jumped off the bridge with my feet landing on the panelled floor of the main chamber, cube in tow. So where do I put it? Oh, right over there underneath the laser. Because the cube would then block the laser, it should stop working and the exit door should open perhaps? I dropped the cube on the button and I looked up at the exit door. Sure, it opened alright. But the panel lift also activated on contact with the button and rise to the door. This was just like test chamber three. There is no way on earth I can block the laser whilst placing the cube on the button while I'm on the panel! Even if I dropped the cube from a portal above, that damn bridge is in the way! It's impossible!

I had no way of telling the time, but I could feel that I had been doing these tests for hours now. I've had enough, there's only so much I can take! I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I'm so exhausted and I want to just go to the bathroom! Can't Siri just, like, pause testing for a minute so I can at least go to the toilet and have a drink of water? If not, that's so inhumane, not like this whole thing already was. She'll understand.

"Hey Siri!" I hollered out. "I need the bathroom and a drink. I can't keep doing your 'testing' thing if I'm feeling terrible."

There was no response. I tried again.

"Please Siri? Can you just give me a break?"

I waited. Still nothing. I tried again and again, and yet even more, but ultimately, there was no reply. No attention at all.

So that's how it is...

"Fine!" I shouted arrogantly. "I quit testing! I'm not moving till you give me a break!"

I stared daggers at the curious cameras looking on at my protest. I'm serious though, I'm not doing this crap until I get my break! But still, nothing happened. Not an answer or anything. And by now, the need to let my bladder loose was getting painstakingly high. I'm sure as hell not peeing myself. I fidgeted as I sat on the floor, never dropping my gaze at the camera on the wall. So who is really watching me from behind it? It's surely got to be Siri, if it is actually Siri.

It might...it might be an actual woman.

Okay, now I REALLY needed to go. Is there some discreet place I can leak...? I looked around the chamber, not believing myself for doing this. So much for dignity.

And then my eyes locked on the acid pool directly next to me. I knew what to do.

I got up and casually walked over to the side of the pool and crouched down, and I was SO nervous, what would Siri do if...? No, she didn't give me a break, so this is payback.

I lay the portal device down next to me and loosened my hideous orange jumpsuit pants. They came down only by a few inches. Good enough. Then I sat on the edge of the pool with my legs dangling over the side...

...and I let go. Steadily at first, but then with more confidence. Ah, that's better.

"WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING!?" Siri's voice exploded.

I literally jumped in mid-pee and scrambled back from the poolside. One second it was peaceful, the next I was in utter shock from Siri's voice.

"I was only..." I stammered but I looked down and realised I was still peeing! All over myself, onto the floor. In both horror and unease, I stumbled back yet again. And I didn't even realise it was behind me before it was too late.

I backed into the laser.

The beam scolded my right leg with unbearable, burning agony.

"Aarrghh!" I yelled out in pain.

Tears flooded to my eyes, and as the pee dripped to a stop, I could feel the burnt blood oozing from the furious scar. I collapsed to the ground and clutched my leg, wincing, crying like a big baby. And even in what I could've labelled as one of the most painful, humiliating and awful experience in my life, Siri's voice cut like a knife through it all, a cold tinge in her voice.

"This incident serves you right. Your behaviour is an offence to Aperture Science, we cannot accept your immoral misconduct. Don't be expecting anything good to happen to you."

Something cracked in my mind. It was as if Siri's words had broken the last piece of me that kept me sane. I was dead tired, but in an instant, every ounce of energy, the roaring pain of the laser burn, my humiliation and misery, my hunger, my thirst, everything I hated about this place, my confusion about why I was here, who I actually was and most importantly, the hatred I held for Siri culminated and rose up, and still up, and I completely let go of my sanity.

"I HATE YOU!" I screamed in full rage. "I WAS TRYING TO GO TO TAKE A PEE, GODDAMIT! I CAN'T TEST IF I'M BUSTING! THAT LASER BURNED ME AND IT HURTS LIKE ANYTHING! YOU DON'T CARE DO YOU THOUGH? OH NO, IM JUST A NUMBER TO YOU! IM A NOBODY WHO WONT GIVE A SECOND THOUGHT IF I DIE IN THIS PLACE OF DEATH! UNLESS OF COURSE YOU ACTUALLY ARE A WOMAN, NOT JUST SOME MINDLESS COMPUTER LIKE SIRI ON MY IPHONE! OH WAIT, I DONT HAVE THAT EITHER! SO IF YOU REALLY DO HAVE FEELINGS, TELL ME MY NAME!"

Tears stung my eyes, blood throbbed in my head, and I panted in complete exhaustion. There was no more energy in me now. I couldn't stand for much longer, especially with my burned leg. But I still with the mental willpower I had tried to wait for Siri's response.

But only the camera looked on.

When there was no response, my legs wobbled, buckled, and I crumpled to the ground with a narrow miss of the laser beam. My world turned black.

•••••

The night had been a blast.

Vegas truly delivered itself. We must've hit fifteen casinos or something, I was too drunk on Pino Colada cocktails and champagne to remember. The money we won, the money we lost, it was all part of the experience. And now I was leaning on the arm of some handsome guy I had met at the bar of the previous casino, staggering to his hotel room with hoots and cackles of laughter. This was my second time in Las Vegas, and it was better than the last time. Casinos caught onto your game of the seventeen-year-old-passing-for-eighteen. But at twenty-one, I got the full works.

The dude, Robert I think, made some rude comment about a couple across the street and I threw back my head in drunk glee.

I lost my sister Christina earlier on in the night but I didn't care. We'd find each other tomorrow morning and retell our night of activity.

We walked along for a few blocks on the dark streets, lit up with the occasional glow of a streetlight. We came to an adult shop and Robert stopped his stride.

"Wait here for a moment, okay?" He grinned devishly, pulling out his wallet.

I responded with a flick of my hand and another cackle. He disappeared inside the store. With a smile playing on my lips, I twirled a bit, stumbled a little, and leaned against the wall. My vision was a little blurry, but I gazed at a building with the time and date blazed against its readout.

12:14AM — October 18th, 1975

I waited still for my partner to buy whatever he was going to buy for tonight and come out. Meanwhile, a man in a business suit approached from the left.

"Excuse me?" He called out. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" I replied with a giggle.

But the man came closer still. "No...no..you're not fine at all. Here, I'll take you home."

"But..." I said, waving a hand at the store. "But my...my..uh..."

"No come with me, you can't stay here, something could happen to you." The man said, guiding me with his arm back down the street.

I started to feel uncomfortable, but I let him take me anyway. I started to slur some words randomly from my mouth, short and weak emissions of laughter being added. The man nodded as he walked me along. "Yes, yes. Okay."

We came to an alleyway and he lead me down it. Even though I was drunk, I knew something wasn't right. Where is he taking me?

"Just a bit further." He said.

And then seconds later, we came to a white van illuminated by a lone street lamp. On its side was the name of a company I'd never seen before.

**APERTURE **

** Laboratories**

"What's..what's this?" I asked.

Before I could react, the man clasped his hand over my mouth, stifling my scream. Then I felt a sharp blow to the head. My vision blurred, and I dropped to the ground.

**Todays CPRM: Announcer**

**Announcer: Please review before moving on to the next chapter. Your cooperation is appreciated.**


	8. Chapter 07 — The Punishing shots

**A/N: I'm getting very excited about this story, which means you should love it even more. All I can say really, as we move forward is this: Brace yourselves. **

**Thanks for the follows and the review too!**

**-The Jordanator-**

**Chapter 7.0**

When I came to, I could see nothing but spots that slowly diminished until there were no more. My mind banged against my skull violently. My leg throbbed where I had been burned, but not as painful as before. Overall, I felt terrible.

"Ohhhh..." I groaned.

My eyes adjusted, and I recognised the surroundings of the chamber I was in. The chamber where I freaked at Siri. I was still here. In this imprisonment. I wish it was all just a dream I could wake up to and go, "Wow, what a weird dream! I'm going to forget all about it and continue my happy life!" But that's far too good to be true. I don't even remember anything about my life. I certainly remember the outside world, the world I should be living in, but not anything to do with myself or anyone I love or know. It's like a blank space in my brain, as if somebody had erased it clean.

Of course though, there was that horrifying flashback I just had.

And now there's a spark. A clue. A hint. A piece of evidence that somehow had crawled back from my wiped memory and shown itself before me while I was unconscious. It wasn't like I instantly recalled that moment when the flashback happened. It was like a story was playing in the eyes of someone else, and that someone else was me. It was me who'd been with that guy in Vegas, me who was kidnapped by that man in the suit, and knocked out before that van, with the name Aperture Laboratories displayed on the side.

The more I thought about it, the sooner I came to realise the connection. Aperture Laboratories...this is Aperture Laboratories. Siri had said it herself multiple times. My theory had developed. I knew I was a test subject, but not why I came here. With that flashback however, now I know. And the truth is terrible.

I'm being held hostage in a dangerous testing ground.

You'd think a kidnapper or some heartless computer woman would have just left me here to die or keep testing after I recovered. So I was surprised when my eyes caught the tin can and plastic milk bottle sitting neatly on a dish in front of me. Who had given me this? Someone obviously had, and I'm not going to say that it were these moving panels either. Nevertheless, I reached out and grasped the can around my hand, finding a can opener alongside it. Eagerly, I pried the can until the lid popped out and clattered to the ground, the sound echoed across the room. The waft of something ghastly invaded my nostrils and I saw what the contents were. Beans. The one thing I hate eating. Without a second thought, I put the mouth of the can to my own. The beans spilled down my throat. They tasted like they hadn't been opened in years, which was probably true. But it was edible, and that gave me reason to chow it down. Once the can was empty, I reached for the milk bottle and ripped the cap off before guzzling it down. To put in more better words, it was off.

After the meal was abolished, I stood and picked up the portal gun lying near the edge of the acid pool.

_"Oh good, you're awake."_

Uh-oh.

_"We both know that we need to talk. Well, it will mainly be me who will be doing the talking. After you complete this test, I'm taking you to a different room. Refusal would be foolish."_

Suddenly the mood had changed. Instead of an informative and a rather enigmatic identity, Siri had more...well, emotion in her voice. And so far it seemed to be tinged with cold resentment. I'd done something wrong obviously, and it wasn't in line with her plan or regime. But peeing in an acid pool can't be that bad, can it? It's not like the pool could get any worse than it already was. So why the hostility?

For once, it came to me that this Siri wasn't even close to the actual Siri on my iPhone at all, a monotone, yet cheery voice. No, this Siri, the Aperture Siri...was more human. As if it were an actual woman and not some computer voice. Because robots don't have emotions...right? Honestly, who knows.

And now she wants to talk to me. Somehow, I sense that 'different room' may be a lot like the one where all the 'uncooperative test subjects' are put. But I can't run away. It's the only way to go.

So to the chamber at hand. I recalled the problem where I had to stand on the panel while blocking the laser with the cube as the cube itself sits on the button which rises the panel. That's not complicated at all (not)! I couldn't control the cube from where I would stand on the panel though. Aargh! This is frustratingly impossible!

That damn bridge is in the way. Unless it miraculously disappears, there's no way I'm getting that cube on the button while on the panel. Or...what if...I think I got it.

Placing a portal on the far end of the bridge and placing the other below it carries the bridge straight back to where it came from, only at a lower height. Therefore, if I place the cube on the bridge directly above the button, stand on the panel, put the blue portal somewhere else, the bridge would vanish and the cube would...would...omigod I got it!

So I did it. A sense of triumph filled me up as I was in the final stages of that process. And when I made the lower bridge go away, the cube fell and directly hit the button and blocked the laser. Instantly, the panel rose, and the exit door unlocked!

"Woohoo!" I hollered in jubilation.

And then Siri spoke.

_"I've had a rethink and I've decided that your testing is more important than consequences for contaminating the contamination pool further. We will proceed with testing. However, do not ever do something as vile as that again. Or I will make you wish you could die."_

A shiver travelled through my body. Siri just gave me a death threat. It was a death threat wasn't it? Do something wrong and you'll want to die. And how she said that was frightening...so cold. I was being treated like a naughty child.

And naughty children get punished.

Now the happiness and joy I had before had vanished completely. In fact, I don't think I could ever regain any satisfaction in solving test chambers again. It doesn't help that I also have death threat bearing down on me if I screw up again. And it's all because of Siri.

No...she's not Siri now. I'm dubbing this mystery identity as 'her' and 'she'.

And she will be sorry that she ever made me feel like this. I will get my revenge, I'm going to destroy her.

The resentment boiled inside me as I limped into the elevator. My new goal is this: Once this is over, I'm going to find here, and kill her.

Of course, I'm going to find out who I really am too. But ending her...oh yes, that would be great. I really will live up to being the wild card. The plan was spectacular, I thought that nothing would stop me.

But as I was about to learn, She still had a few tricks up her sleeve.

•••••

The elevator dropped me off at the next chamber.

_"Sentry turrets are a main feature of the Aperture Science testing programme. In this next test, you will be introduced to them. In advance warning, you may want to note that they have only one regiment: Shoot to kill. Good luck."_

Sentry turrets...what are those? Aren't they like those side towers on castles? Either way, there's no denying that She just said 'good luck' to me. This can't be good. I passed the chamber information sign which displayed a cube and button sign as well as another, a different one. A stick figure deflecting lines from another random thing...weird.

So I braced myself and walked into the chamber. I was in a passageway was before me. It made a right turn in the space of about ten metres. Before me though was this white model, with three legs — two at the front, one at the back. And it's back was turned to me. What's this thing? Should I pick it up? Walk past it? Not sure what to do really.

Something tells me I should pick it up. And with my portal gun, I did.

"Put me down!" The object protested in a high voice as it was lifted by the grasp of my portal gun.

"Oh!" I blurted apologetically. "I'm so sorry I..."

Then when I dropped it, the object fell on its side and instantly began to shower a blaze of bullets.

"Nooooooooooo!" It screamed as it randomly sprayed bullets where it was facing.

Meanwhile, I had shrieked and dived for the floor. Then the bullets stopped and the object, as if it were saying it's final words, quietly uttered. "Whyyy?"

I stared in alarm, then in guilt at it. Had that thing that was shooting bullets...did I just kill it? I killed an innocent being. Sure, it may have been a robot or something, but...I felt terrible. That poor, helpless 'why' was so saddening. That thing was just doing it's job, whatever it was. And they sounded adorable! I'm sure it wasn't going to hurt me. It lay still on its side motionless. I hope She doesn't get mad at me, I didn't know what I was doing really. Never mind, I have to keep going.

I got up and limped down the hallway. The burn in my leg was really messing with my usual walk but it was slowly getting better. I looked down at it and noticed there was stitches where the burn had cut my flesh open. The realisation made me almost faint, but I kept myself up. Okay...so someone's stitched me up aswell as feed me. A computer couldn't have done that. So maybe She is a real woman...

I rounded the corner and saw that the passage actually made a u-turn. Then I stopped myself short when I saw a beam, red and very thin. It seemed to come from another thing down the hallway. What were those things...? Turrets! Sentry turrets. That's what She called them. I think that the beam comes from the turret somehow. Let's see.

I poked my head around the corner and saw the turret, face on this time, with a red little eye on the center of it's oval face.

"Hello!" It greeted, opening it's sides up.

Aww, what a cute little turret, I just wanna go over and give it a—

_RATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT!_

"Aaaaargh!" I screamed, falling backwards out of view.

...evil little creature, it just shot at me! Seriously, guns ablaze and firing with lightning bullets. I was this close to being shot. I resentfully looked at the beam, now roving around where it could see.

"Target lost." It murmured in the distance.

Oh so I'm a target now? I'm gonna show that little runt! It would help if I knew how though. That thing is dead to me as far as I'm concerned. Oh wait...I did remember seeing it standing around white panels. So if I shot an orange portal next to me...

I aimed the portal gun at the wall and fired an orange portal onto it.

Okay now for the tricky part. I have to fire a portal behind that turret. Maybe if I just poke the business end of the gun around the corner and...

"Who's there?" The turret questioned as I inched the gun past the edge.

Quickly, I fired the portal gun, and swept it back into my hiding place. Would it reach behind the turret? But a mere glance at the Orange portal before me answered my question, and there, standing unaware, was the turret with its back turned to me.

_I have you now._

The next moment I made sure was merciless, and in a flurry of bullet shots and screaming, the turret shut down and lay dead on the floor. A crooked smile was warped on my face, as I half-limped past it. I'm a turret killer, and I like it. The hallway opened up to a room which had a button placed directly in the middle of it. The exit door was there too, only a few metres away. However, the button was being guarded by six turrets lined around it in a circle. Two of them could see me, and I was so glad there was a large window that partially separated the access to the room. The two turrets had there sides extended as they stared without word at me. I could see at least 4 nozzles on them each which I knew were blasters. Scary. But how do I get rid of them?

Before, solving puzzles in previous tests meant working out harmless things like 'How do I get over there?' or 'how do I get the laser into the porthole?' But now this was different. A careless mistake didn't mean starting over or fixing agar I'd done wrong. No, this time it was much more than that.

A mere mistake could mean instant death.

And now I was frightened to do anything! I was even doubting the fact that the window may be bulletproof let alone stepping out from behind it. What am I going to do?

Well, the whole room is made out of white panels. White panels mean they are portalable. Portal-able. Good word actually. White panels are portalable. Dark panels are unportalable. Anyway, so that means that portals can be made anywhere in here. What about on the floor?

I tried it and it worked.

Okay, so why don't I stick my gun out from the window blockade and shoot portals underneath the turrets, and shouldn't they fall in?

Ooh this is so evil yet so sweet.

I put a blue portal on the panel on the wall next to me, and edged the gun out from behind the glass.

The two turrets who were watching me swivelled their guns toward my own.

"Gotcha!" One tweeted with joy.

But before they could react, before any bullet was fired from their sides, I shot the Orange portal underneath one of them. The turret promptly fell backwards into it, screaming and splattering bullets everywhere dangerously close to me.

"Malfunctioning!" It squealed.

I planted myself against the glass, and even as the turret was dying, I was onto the next, and then to the next, and to the next, and the next still. And it was a pandemonium only metres away from me.

"Aaaahhhhh!"

"Nooooo!"

"Goodbye!"

"Self-test error!"

"Malfunctioning!"

As each one slowly died in a pile of bodies, shells and bullets, I couldn't help but grin gleefully at what I'd just performed.

So I thought that these turrets were merciless killers who were impossible to get past. But really? All they really are is talking tripods with guns. Destroying them involves a flick of the finger, and they're out of it. So although they are somewhat lethal, they're not as dangerous as before. Still, I can't be overconfident about this, who knows what might happen.

I stepped out from behind the window and looked at the button which seemed to trigger the door. Right, so where's the cube? That's when I noticed the small grating on the right wall. It was only centimetres wide, but beyond it was a secluded room with white panels also. That's where the cube would be sitting, I reckoned. So I shot a portal through the grating so that it landed on the wall of the closed off room and placed another on the wall beside me. I would get the cube, put it on the button, out of here. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

As cliché as it was, things DID go awfully wrong.

When I stepped into he room, I first directed my focus on the cube sitting in front of me. Too bad I didn't see the thin, red beam stretching across the room.

"Target acquired." A high voice said to my left.

In the instant when I looked up in complete shock, the turret sprayed it's bullets at me.

"Aaaargh!" I shrieked before desperately shooting a portal underneath it.

It fell through with a protest, but I was still struck with shock. Shaking even. I panted as my breathing slowly became easier, and the adrenaline was diminishing. As the shock stated to wear off, two new feelings rose up. Pain, and even more pain. My shoulder and my leg. When I looked down, the first thing to hit me was neutral realisation. Oh, I've been shot in my shoulder and in my calf. And then the sheer agony kicked in, and I helplessly crumpled to the floor.

I wailed as I clutched my shoulder, my leg. Tears welled up and flowed a stream down my face? I lay there crying, crying, the pain roaring as bad as when the laser burned me. And that instigated the angriness, the retaliation. My eyes latched onto the camera planted on the wall, staring down at me in almost wonder. And like a volcano, I erupted yet again.

"I HATE THIS PLACE SO MUCH, IT'S KILLING ME!"

I could've said more, but my tantrum was cut short by a new sense that enveloped me, and it was so easy to subside to. Helplessness. Giving up. Maybe I should say that to her.

"I give up!" I called, even through the pain. "I'm not doing this anymore. Please just heal me and let me go!"

Of course, it didn't happen. Why would she? Why would some nut science lady listen to a poor, wounded and helpless girl lying on the ground? Because really, I'm just a failure. A failed test subject.

And what happens to failed test subjects in this place of twisted science and torture?

It was then that I realised why I was in this chamber. She, whoever she is, had purposefully directed me to this chamber full of bullet-blasting turrets as some sort of punishment. And the shots did punish alright, hell that's why I'm lying here with this overwhelming pain! I can't do this anymore, I seriously can't. And if she won't let me go, well, what then? Really I have no choice but to end the torture for good. By ending myself.

Minutes passed, the blood trickled through my fingers, spreading like the Dead Sea. God it hurt. So bad...

Then my consciousness began to dip, and a new warmth grew inside me. Sleep, yes sleep sounds so good. I could sleep for two thousand years if I wanted to. My eyes drooped and gently began to close...

•••••

_Test Chamber 05: Did good enough despite distraction._

_Test Chamber 06: Completed test chamber, immoral violation offence. Rebellion hinted._

_Test Chamber 07: —_

_*Processing results*_

_*Process complete*_

_Test Chamber 07: Punishment received. Effort made to stabilise test subject_.

•••••

I don't know how long it had been, but I felt goddamn tired still. I stirred, rubbed my eyes, and felt the cold, stale air settle against my skin. Ugh...

When my eyes adjusted, I saw that I was still on the ground. In the room where the turret shot me. I looked down at my leg and to my surprise, noticed that the bullet had been removed, my leg stitched up. And it felt a little numb. So did my shoulder. Oh dear, I've had surgery.

Omigod, she fixed me. Well I assume it's her. But...but why? I'm a failure! I stuffed up her testing programme, destroyed half a chamber, pissed in her acid pool, went AWOL at her, basically refused to do this for any longer. I think that should give me licence to be killed according to her standards. But here I am...healed from bullet wounds...and still alive.

It was then that a I recognised a new side of her that I'd never think I'd see. She's being motherly.

She's purposely keeping me alive.

So perhaps she isn't as twisted as I thought she was? Or is there another reason for her compassion? It confused me so much.

I steadily rose from the ground, leaned against the wall as I did so. I picked up my portal gun and fitted my arm inside it. Somehow, I felt good with it on me, like I had some kind of power and defence. I portalled back into the main room with the cube and stuck it on the button, immediately opening the door,

"Gotcha!" A turret voice greeted.

I gasped and dived to the side as bullets erupted from the doorway. I landed heavily on my stomach but I was out of its sight.

"Are you still there?" The turret asked softly, it's beam roving around the room.

That. Was. Close. It was actually a strategic move. Having the triumph and victory of a test subject shot down by a turret stuck behind the door. Very clever. I still have to kill that thing though. And oh look at that, there a white panel beside it.

So that turret got a less than pleasant surprise as I burst out beside it.

_"You managed to complete this chamber in five hours. 82% of it was spent being unconscious. Don't let that become a repeating habit."_

When she said that, the sense of loving motherhood from her vanished as quickly as rising smoke. Ugh, never mind.

I walked through the blue grid, tingling me as it did always, and I walked down to the awaiting elevator.

And so, on the next chamber.

**Today's CPRM: Turret**

**turret: hello! Please review. Thank you!**


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